Facsimile machines allow users to send and/or receive documents via telephone lines. FIG. 1 depicts a conventional facsimile machine 100. The facsimile machine 100 is connected to a telephone line 110. The facsimile machine 100 contains a modem 106, a memory 104, a central processing unit (CPU) 102, a printer 108, and a scanner 112. The modem 106 is user for converting received messages from the telephone line 110 from an analog format into a digital format. The modem 106 also converts data received from the CPU 102 from a digital format to an analog format for transmission across the telephone line 110. When a message is sent, the CPU 102 is responsible for receiving diaital data from the memory 104, compressing the digital data and sending the digital data to the modem 106. In addition, the CPU 102 is responsible for receiving digital data from the modem 106. sending the digital data to the memory 104, and decompressing the diaital data when a message is received. The memory 104 is used for storing digital data while the digital data is being sent or received. The printer 108 is an output device responsible for receiving digital data from the CPU 102 and for printing the digital data. The scanner 112 is an input device responsible for receiving a document, digitizing the document, and sending the digitized data to the CPU 102.
Conventional facsimile machines are a type of communication device that processes messages in a very limited fashion. Conventional facsimile machines perform the function of receiving messages from a telephone line and printing the received messages, as well as scanning documents and transmitting the scanned data across telephone lines. Conventional facsimile machines do not use other devices than a modem, printer and scanner nor can conventional facsimile machines delay the processing of messages.